Silver Falls - Anne Stuart [106]
Maybe Maggie knew what had happened to their things. She headed out into the hallway. And then let out a shriek, as the tall shadow of a man appeared.
“For God’s sake,” Caleb said in a cranky tone. “It’s just me.”
She stared at him for a long moment. In the ill-lit hallway she couldn’t see him that clearly, but there were fading bruises on his face, presumably thanks to his brother. “I thought you’d left,” she mumbled.
“No, you didn’t. Maggie said you asked about me.”
“Maggie has a big mouth. I was just curious.”
“I’m here.”
“So you are.”
They stared at each other, a long, tense moment. “I needed to say something to you,” he said finally.
“No, you don’t.”
“Don’t tell me what I do or don’t have to do,” he snapped. “I left you to die.”
That was enough to startle her. “Don’t be ridiculous! Do you think I care? You were trying to save my daughter. Frankly you could have slit my throat and it wouldn’t have mattered. All that mattered was Sophie. You should know that.”
“Sophie’s not all that matters,” he said in a low voice. “You matter. To me.”
She didn’t want to hear this. She was much too vulnerable, and the only way she’d been able to keep it together was pull a layer of ice around her heart. “Glad to hear it,” she said briskly. “I’ll send you a Christmas card. Now if you’ll excuse me.” She tried to push past him, but he put a hand on her arm.
“How will you know where to send it?”
He was too close, but somehow his presence wasn’t threatening. She wanted to lean against him, put her face against his shoulder and let him hold her while she cried.
But Caleb Middleton wasn’t the comforting type.
She took a deep breath. “I don’t know where I’ll send it. Maybe we’ll all come back and spend Christmas with Stephen Henry, just one big happy family,” she said sarcastically. And then realized that bizarre as it was, she wanted that. She loved the Old Goat. She loved—
Shit, that was the last thing she needed. She looked up at him. “Why are you here?”
“Sophie’s in the car,” he said, not answering.
“What car?”
“My car. Your suitcases are there as well.”
“Are you driving us to the airport?” she asked, trying to sound cool. “We haven’t booked a flight yet—I don’t know exactly where we’re going.”
“I thought New Zealand would be nice this time of year. Hell, it’s always nice. Sophie says you haven’t been there yet.”
“And why am I going there now?”
“Because I am,” he said. “And you’re coming with me.”
She looked at him. “Oh, yeah? Why?”
“Because it’s what Sophie wants. Don’t you spend your life doing everything for Sophie, including marrying the wrong man and almost getting killed? This is a no-brainer compared to that. Sophie wants the three of us together. I’ve made arrangements.”
She was tempted, damn she was tempted. “No,” she said flatly.
“No?”
“One stupid marriage is all Sophie gets. She and I will be fine on our own. I don’t have to make any more stupid sacrifices.”
“Marrying me would be a stupid sacrifice?” He looked affronted.
“Why the hell are you even talking about marriage?” she countered. Her heart was hammering, and she tried to tell herself it was because she was talking to a crazy person.
He ran a hand through his long hair, uncomfortable and frustrated. “Look. I’m tired of arguing with you. The fact of the matter is, you love me—” he ignored her derisive “ha!” and went on, “—and I love you. So we’re getting married and living happily ever after, whether you like it or not.”
“You don’t love me,” she said, cursing the fact that her voice sounded a little rough.
A wry smile lit his face. “Don’t I?” He took her chin in his hand, leaned over and kissed her, very lightly, on her mouth. He brushed her eyelids, her cheekbones with his lips, then kissed her again, slow, deep, tender, and she felt her body rise into it, unable to resist.
He stepped back. “Is that settled?”
“I’ve already killed one man because he tried to boss me around—don’t think you can get away with it.”
He laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind. So what do you think? New Zealand? It’s lambing season.